Automatic equalizing piston-valve.



No. 824,903. PATENTED JULY 3, 1906.

F. BURGER.

AUTOMATIC EQUALIZING PISTON VALVE.

A'PPLIGATION FILED PEB15,1905. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

P.' BURGER. AUTOMATIC BQUALIZING PISTON VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.15,1905.

' 2SHEEISSHEBT 2 ms uonms FEB-ms cm, msnmcmurnx.

PATBNTED JULY 3, 1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANZ BURGER, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- FOURTHS TO HENRY M. WILLIAMS, OF ALLEN, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC EQUALIZING PISTON-VALVE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANZ BURGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Vayne, in the county of Allen, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Equalizing Piston-Valves, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic equalizing pistonvalves; and it has for its object to provide a valve that is adapted to automatically operate to equalize the air-pressure when the engine is drifting or operating without the active energy of the motor fluid; and to these ends mytinvention consists in the various features of construction and arrangement of parts having the general mode of operation and accomplishing the results substantially as hereinafter more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have shown one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a valve embodying the invention operating in connection with the distributing-valve of a steamcylinder. Fig. 2 is a detail cross-section on the line a b, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 1, showing the parts in different positions.

While my invention may be embodied in different structures, the details being changed to adapt it to the particular circumstances under which it is used, and while my invention may be used in connection with many and various motors operated with different motor fluids, it is especially applicable for use in connection with locomotives, and I have illustrated my invention in connection with a locomotive-cylinder and will describe it in connection with the use of steam as a motor fluid without limiting the invention to the use of this particular fluid or in this particular connection.

It is well known that in operating locomotives it is often desirable and even necessary to cut off the flow of motor fluid or steam which is being supplied to the cylinders for propelling the locomotive, and while this is done the pistons continue to reciprocate in the cylinders, and in this movement they tend to compress the air in the cylinders and connecting valve mechanism, which of course is a waste of energy. Numerous devices have been provided to avoid this waste Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 15. 1905. Serial No. 245,773.

Patented July 3, 1906.

of energy under these and other circumstances, and, broadly speaking, my invention includes an automatically-operating equalizing-valve arrangement intended to accomplish the above results.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, 1 represents a steam-cylinder of a locomotive in whichis adapted to reciprocate a .piston 2, having a piston-rod 3, adapted to be connected in any suitable manner to the driving-wheels of the locomotive. Connected with this cylinder 1 is a valve-chamber 4, shown in the present instance as connected with the opposite ends of the cylinder 1 through the ports 5 5. Mounted in this valve-chamber is a reciprocating piston-valve 6 6 of a conventional and well-known ty e, and this valve controls the flow of motor uid from the valve-chamber 4 to and from the opposite ends of the cylinder 1, the motor fluid being supplied to the valvechamber through the opening16, commun1-.

eating with the usual supply-pipe.

In the present instance the two valve-pistons are united by a tube 9, through which the exhaust-steam passes from the left-hand end of the cylinder 1 to the exhaust-port 10 in the valve-chamber, it passing, of course, from the right-hand end of the c linder directly to the exhaust-port through t e port or passage 5 at that end of the cylinder.

I provide the valve-pistons 6 6 with one or more openings or by-passes, shown in the pesent instance in the form of holes 14 through the bodies of the valve-pistons, and I also provide an automatically-operating valve or valves adapted to control these openings or by-pass'es in the valve-pistons to accomplish the results set forth. In the present instance I haveshown as mounted on the tube 9 two valves 7 7, shown in the form of disks and adapted to slide on the tube and to open or close the passa es or holes 14. in the respective valves 6 6. When steam or other motor fluid is admitted to the valve-chamber 4, these auxiliary valves 7 7 are automatically moved to close the openings or lay-passes 14, and I provide means for automatically opening said by-passes or holes in the valve-heads when the motor fluid or steam is out off from the valve-ohamher 4. This means may include a springactuated means tending to cause said auxiliary valves. 7 to. leave their valve-seats, but; in thepresent instance I have shown the auxiliary valves 7 as having hubs II, to which are pivoted the connecting-rods. 12, the inner ends of which are connected to the. opposite ends of a double lever 13, pivotally mounted on the tube 9.. Itis preferable, of course, to duplicate these connecting-rods and levers; on opposite: sides of the tube, they being shown on one side only in the drawings.

Such being the preferred embodiment of my invention, the operation will be largely understood from what has been set forth above, and it will be seen-that as soon as motor fluid is admitted to the valve-chamber 4 the auxiliary valves will be automatically closed and the piston-valve operated to control the admission of motor fluid to the difl-er ent ends of the cylinder in the usual way. When, however, the motor fluid is cut off and the. engine or" power piston 2 continues to operate, it tends tov produce a vacuum at one end of the cylinder and to compress the air at the other" end, and assuming theparts to be in the position shown in Fig; 3 with the piston 2' about to move to the l'eft,.it will be seen that there will be a tendency to produce a vacuum in the valve-chamber 4, whiletherewill also be. a tendency to compress the air in the lefthand portion of the cylinder and valve-chest behind the left-hand pistonvalve 6. The result is that the auxiliary valves 7' T will be automatically operated and moved away from their'respecti-vevalveseats, opening the passages 14 M in the valve-pistons, permitting thereby an equalization of the air-pressure in the cylinder and valve chest or chamber;

In doing this the auxiliary valves will be moved towardeach other, and the connectingrods and lever will cause them to move concurrently and simultaneously the required distance to secure the desired equalization of: the pressure. When,

of course, the motor fluid is again admitted to the valvechamber 4, these auxiliary valves 7 are. automatically operated: to close the by-passes through the valve-pistons 6.

It will thus be seen that my improved construction provides a simple and effective automaticallyoperating equalizing pistonvalve which will be. self-regulating and control the openings or by-passes according tothe rapidity ofoperation of the engine and the pressure Within the cylinder and valvechest, thereby establishing communication between both ends of the ower-cylinder when the supply ofmotor fluiis cut ofl.

What I claim is I. The combination with. a cylinder, piston, valve-chamber and valvetherein, of an auxiliary valve mounted to open freely and automatically to equalize the pressure in the cylinder and valve-chamber when the motor fluid is cut off, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a cylinder, piston, valve-chamber'and doubleiston valve therein having openings in sai pistons, of two auxiliary valves and connections whereby both valves will move together inward and outward all arranged to insure the valves simultaneously and automatically operating to establish and maintain communication between both ends of the cylinder and the valve-chamber when the motor fluid is cut ofl, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a cylinder, pis ton, valve-chamber and valve having two separated pistons, each of the latter having;

openings, of an auxiliary valve automatically operating to close the openings of eachpiston underpressure of the motor fluid and mounted toopen freely when the motor I fluid is cut off from the valve-chamber, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a cylinder, pis-- ton, valve-chamber and doubl'e piston valve therein having openings said pistons, of two auxiliary valvessimultaneously and automatically operatingto establish and maintain communication between both ends of the cylinder and the valve-chamber when the motor-fluid is cut off, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a cylinder, piston, valve-chamber and piston-valve therein, of a tube connecting the valve-pistons, the pistons having openings through their bodies, auxiliary valves slida-bly mounted on said tube, and connections between said auxiliary valves whereby they are simultaneously and automatically operated, as and for" thepurpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANZ BURGER.

Witnesses:

GEO. K. TORRENGE, G. B. WATERS. 

